Authorities will not charge Woodruff officer who shot pregnant woman

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 7:02 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 7:02 p.m.

A Woodruff police officer will not be charged in the shooting death of a pregnant woman last October.

The S.C. Law Enforcement Division closed its investigation of the officer–involved shooting earlier this month, according to documents obtained from the agency.

Lacey Denise Lamb, 28, died after she was shot following a traffic stop.

According to an incident report, Woodruff Police Officer William T. Knight initiated the stop on McArthur Street at 1:40 p.m. Oct. 25. Matthew Drake Simmons, 34, got out of the car and ran, the report states, and Knight started chasing him.

“While chasing Simmons, the female passenger tried to assault the officer with the suspect vehicle. Officer Knight reacted and medical assistance was called,” the report states.

After reviewing details of the shooting, the state Office of the Attorney General declined to prosecute, Assistant Attorney General J. Andrew Ritter wrote in a letter to SLED and Woodruff Police Chief Darrell Dawkins.

An attempt to reach Dawkins Tuesday was not immediately successful.

In his statement to SLED, Knight said he was patrolling the North Main Street area when he saw a male driver not wearing a seatbelt and attempted to stop the vehicle. After a brief vehicle pursuit, the driver, later identified as Simmons, got out of the car and began to run, Knight said in his statement.

Knight stated that he got out of his police car to chase Simmons and saw a female, later identified as Lamb, climb in the driver's seat. He said he told her to cut off the engine as he continued chasing Simmons.

Knight thought he heard the vehicle go into gear and spun around to see the vehicle approaching him, before he placed his left hand on the hood of the car and repeatedly told Lamb to stop, according to his statement. Fearful that Lamb was going to run over him and believing that he was in danger, Knight pulled his weapon and fired two rounds, he said in his statement.

Lamb was airlifted to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center after the shooting. She was about five months pregnant. Neither she nor the unborn child survived.

Simmons was jailed after the incident and remains in the Spartanburg County Detention Center charged with driving under suspension, third or subsequent offense, first offense trafficking in methamphetamine, 10 grams or more but less than 28 grams, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

<p>A Woodruff police officer will not be charged in the shooting death of a pregnant woman last October.</p><p>The S.C. Law Enforcement Division closed its investigation of the officer–involved shooting earlier this month, according to documents obtained from the agency.</p><p>Lacey Denise Lamb, 28, died after she was shot following a traffic stop.</p><p>According to an incident report, Woodruff Police Officer William T. Knight initiated the stop on McArthur Street at 1:40 p.m. Oct. 25. Matthew Drake Simmons, 34, got out of the car and ran, the report states, and Knight started chasing him.</p><p>“While chasing Simmons, the female passenger tried to assault the officer with the suspect vehicle. Officer Knight reacted and medical assistance was called,” the report states.</p><p>After reviewing details of the shooting, the state Office of the Attorney General declined to prosecute, Assistant Attorney General J. Andrew Ritter wrote in a letter to SLED and Woodruff Police Chief Darrell Dawkins.</p><p>An attempt to reach Dawkins Tuesday was not immediately successful.</p><p>In his statement to SLED, Knight said he was patrolling the North Main Street area when he saw a male driver not wearing a seatbelt and attempted to stop the vehicle. After a brief vehicle pursuit, the driver, later identified as Simmons, got out of the car and began to run, Knight said in his statement.</p><p>Knight stated that he got out of his police car to chase Simmons and saw a female, later identified as Lamb, climb in the driver's seat. He said he told her to cut off the engine as he continued chasing Simmons.</p><p>Knight thought he heard the vehicle go into gear and spun around to see the vehicle approaching him, before he placed his left hand on the hood of the car and repeatedly told Lamb to stop, according to his statement. Fearful that Lamb was going to run over him and believing that he was in danger, Knight pulled his weapon and fired two rounds, he said in his statement.</p><p>Lamb was airlifted to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center after the shooting. She was about five months pregnant. Neither she nor the unborn child survived.</p><p>Simmons was jailed after the incident and remains in the Spartanburg County Detention Center charged with driving under suspension, third or subsequent offense, first offense trafficking in methamphetamine, 10 grams or more but less than 28 grams, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.</p>